Isiand



Aug. 3, 1925. v

` J. C. cLANcY l METHQD lQF FORMING NITROGEN HYIDROGEN MIXTURES'..

Filed Feb.. 1.8. 1922 lavan/53 MGM. f

Miky.,

Fe'renrc' nog. v31, 192e.'

" warren er airef AFF-lig" 50H51 CGLLIHS CLANCY, OF IEROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND, ASSIGNOR TIO THE NITRO- GEN CCEFORA'LION, OE PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND, A CORPORATION OF RHODE ISLAND.

" METHOD OF FOBMINQ NITROGEN -HYDROGEN MIXTURES.

Application led February 18, 1922. l Seillal No.v 537,530.

of the gases for raising the temperature of i0 thecombustion chamber to s uch'a pointas to insure a complete combination of the oxygen ed the air with hydrogen;

At `further object of the invention is to removing any traces of oxygen4 from the gas mixture. v-

()tber objects and advantages of the invention relate to'certa-in novel' stepsand combinations of steps intheefl'eetuationof y the process as will be more fully set forth 1n the. detailed description to follow.

flu obtaining nitrogen-hydrogen mixtures processes which', permit. the utilization ot`A atmospheric airy as a sourcef-otsupply.'r 'for'ftube whereby -thefexcess".hydrogenenter# ing tliepassage v12 fromithe-pipe"9 after 'beiv the nitrogen content of' the mixtures, itis frequently desirable to obtain mixtures containing. varying proportions of Athe 'gases 'and to'eliminate from the vgasesvariytraces O 'air used in forming the mixture.

substantially pure nitrogen, or nitrogen tof' l together with a less quantity of hydrogen than is desired in the ultimate mixture, by

5 burning out the oxygen content-,of vthe-air and adding thereto substantially pure hydrogen which may be heated byxth'e heat generated during the combustion of the oxygen content of the air to combine. with i any traces of unburned in the gases.

In the accompanying drawings is -represented an example, in diagrammatic form, of an apparatus adapted to perform the i process which forms the subject of the present invention. y Y.

ln the annexed drawings l designates an air reservoir provided with an inlet pipe 2 and an outlet pipe 3 provided With a valve 4 and communicating withvthe interior 5 of a combustiontube '6. A hydrogen supply valies 1Q and 11 respectively. The branch the pipe 3 therein. s

provide an additional purifying agency' for oxygen remaining may be supplied to the tubev 6 throughthe pipe 7 has branches 8 and 9 extending there-l from, the branches being. provided with 8 extends within the combustion' tubev 6 at a point adjacent to the point of entry of lThe tube 6 serves as combustion'A chami 1 ber for the burning of the oxygen content; y of the air admitted' through thej'pipe 3' with ,60'

' the hydrogen admitted-through the pip'e 8',-

the. combustion commencingl'at a pointed-f jacent-to that at Which -'tl1e pipesj Aand 8' enterthe tube 6 and the'a'me extends'ior'- wardly therefrom towards'the open# end of; 65"

the tube` 6, thus heating the-'tubev 6`to'.' liighfv temperature and raisin@ the: temperature 'off the excess hydrogen amitted"-tliroughthe-' pipe 9 into' Vthe concentric passagelQ surfA rounding the 'tube 6 `Within the 'casing 70 which surrounds the" tube 6 throughout the'v`vv major portion of its `extent.-

lf lhe concentric passage 12 communicates with theA passage 5A at tho-open? en'dfofthe ing heated bythe heat-generated by `theyl burning gases in the tube -6 comesfinto' di# -rect contact .with the hot' combustion' prodi" ucts issuing from the open end otthetu'be` 6 to, combine withlany'excess oxygen'remain'f ing uncombined' in the' gasesissuing from" the tube. rlhus `the normal heat generate by the burning of the gases as they enterthe tube 6 and mingle'together therein'isaugi-"Vl mented by the heat'absorbedA by the tube 6;] which becomes lhighly heated lduring the combustion, and theI temperatureis raised to such aA point as to insure .complete comi.

bustion of the oxygeneontent of the air' hydrogen entering the concentric passage 12 so as to utilize such hydrogen if necessary" toA combine with any traces of oxygen which pipe 3 in excess o'f the quantityv withwliich the hydrogen entering? the tube 'dthrou'gh the pipe 8 will combine. The' tube' 6 is of.: comparatively small diameter ranging'pref`y erably'froin one vto two 'inches in diameter while the tube 13 is also ot relatiVely'sma-lldiameter preferably 'from two andone half so" i 9o"A at all times and highly heat.' the exce'ss7 to tlir'eeiand onelfhelf inches in diameter.

The use 'of s ihustionchemberhaying a vle - tem, bestes or witliefcasing'l Vwhich.,` contains finely di# relatively smell diameter' as above mentioned facilitates the combustion s mce it-sei'ves to confine the heeft of 'combustion within s relatively restrictedspece, thus preventing the.

diffusion of the1heatf`generated and 'raising *the tenip'eriiti'ireto' such s point as to greatly 'eid in the' combustion of the gases and pref `venti-ng` any-fof the oxygen content lof the air from passing over Without being coin-A hined with hydrogento form water vapor.

This' conservction ofthe heat maybe in-f helena fj 'the-tube 'ia vided nieteh such i as v finely divided gcopg'i'er,A

boekte t ev s e .ei-rough om pipes mi aine-yin@ 1i 'usine applied. thereto immediate hase of A'the tub'e .wheretheeir tion of the grises passed into the; In 'gasesiinthe tube 6 the -gvalve 23.'

'iron britlie' like, as indicstedet 1'(,-for e pui"- se which willifbe. more .full described be opened at the'conimencement ofthe-operation' to vsillovvthe gases .to be ignited, the

Aund 'krmer ignitiiig the meiniiig closedg-After the sesle'reignited et the end 'ofgftiie pipe dietely "beckjto thebase of thee-tube 6 and the vlvetomaythexbe closed. [5 The velve 11 remains closed until combustion is well under wey-iii theftube G vyhentiinay be The betwee 15 sind' andfthetubesf,

jected.A 1 While the' preferred dimensions' of the tubesandvl hsve been given iii order to' indicate .tothose'ski-lled inthe art dimen`- sions whioh have been found to serve thepurpcseedinirably in practice it .is to be understcod'thu't the invention is not limited to theiiseoftubes of the diniensions indiceted'since considerable. variation therein is 'of waterentering the .condenser through the pipe 29 and discharged ,therefrom through the ipe 30.; The mixed gases und Water of con eiisatio'n 'pessfroin the enter the Atenir 32 While the gaseous mixture passes throught-he pipe 33 to tbegasoineter fro'm which' it' may be drawn by the underl pressldre into the' storage 'tank 3'?. A drip p'l' 40 is provided forwitlidrswing the con ensed -Writer from the tank 32,

Vand a. viilve 41 is located therein for manipucondenser 'through the pipe 31to permit the writer to pump 35, through the pipe 36- nncl'irorced lation in ,withdrawing-the water from the tank asnecessity may require.

From-the storage tank 'passes' through e pipe 45V to s. purifying apparatus 46 where it m'ii'y. be passed through suitable purifying agents for rel and is 'provided withv iijvnlve 23 which may' moving traces of such .impurities as remsin the. synthesizingfchamber of an. ammonia.

synthesisjiip ergtus" .or'employed for any other desire purpose, the'iiow of the gases from the storage .tank being'l regulated by ineens-of the valve 48.

shownthe Achamber 5 as `that in which the :ox'y' 'n' content 'of the air Ais removed by 0in' ustionwith hydrogen and the excess drogen as entering-theouter 'chamber 12 w' ere the heat developedby the combustion lof the oxygenof the' ir'andhydrogen in the [chamber 5 preheets the excess of hydrogen to enable itftof'unite -with any remaining traces of oxygen from the air, I mayre- 37 the gos mixture It is to be understood thatwhile I here verse the inethod of operation by leading the xiii-'Send hydrogen mixture into the chamber opened to admit hydip'genftitliepiissage'12.* il@ @WSA-#$28, 9,"

12 and employ this.' outer'cl'ifimber as the in ain combustionchamber Wl'iiie leading the pipe 9 into the chamber -5 to supply the ein. cess hydrogen thereto and preheiit'the same vthrough the aid ofthe heat developed by lthe combustion offthe oxygen of the'air 'with -the hydrogen iii' the outer chamber.

described, hydrogen is' admitted into thel ipe 8 by opening the valve 10 and then air is admitted through the pipe 3 by opening end ofthe pipe "S22 .whereupon the ieme flashes hack` into the tube 6 and ther gldrogen admitted through the pipe 8 comfloy ,the 'con'ditions of operation and the es with the oxygeneontentot'the 'air to' form Water vapor;` substantially removing 'the voxygenl contentfrom the air thus admitted. y

Certain variations in the method of proeedure may beemployed depending upon erfentegeso nitrogen and hydrogen desired iin the resultinfr mixture. For exam le I e, i ,P

may admit a "certain l'loW of air lthrough the pipe 3to ,the hur11er"`and"admit only' sufs'i'red proportions either within the limits Within which the excess hydrogen will readi-A `lycomhinewith all the o.\: 'jen otthc nir to completely eliminate the sinne or measurably beyond those limits, und the excess hydrogen gas preheated without the use ot' external power but hy-fmeans of .the heat generated during, the combustion ot' the oxygen content of the air. ily-means ot' the relatively constricted-passages 6 and lQ'as 'Wellas the heat insulating covering M- the heat ofcombustion is conserved and utilized both in the 'complctecombustion of thc oxygen Acontent of th e`-air and the prehcating 'ofthe hydrogen. v

gas mixturei 'thus obtained ispussed through the pipe, l5 into tie casing lt whore cbn'lbinewith the oxygen-fcontntlof'the airfit heats the inelydivi e .copper or other *remitted throughthe pipe thuis "forming `erfter the 'combustion-f. suhstantialjlygpure ni 4 water vapor-formed vas a result of the comtinge-.certain flow off-airl through' fthe pipe 3 by manipulation vof vthe f valve Land ad# Knitting at -thejsame `time such 'atloW- of mo're 'than 'suiicint to combine' u'fithf the oxyglfencontent-ofthe air admitted through thevpipe 3f whereby. when the gas mixture "if'gnited as previously described, the gases issuing from the vtube 6 will consist of a nitrogen-hydrogen mixture together with -understoodthat it is possible by Amy improved method to obtain anitroge11hydrogen mixturecontainmg the 'gases 1n any demetal 1T @and ther heated 'copper removes any traces of oxygenwwlnchvmey `chante to present-"in the-"mixture,.the copper being agaiii-redrlcedhythe hydrogen in themixture andthe traces ofy oxygen taken up -thereby'heing con-iietedinto water vapor by thehydrogenli The ivut'erJva-por present in the gases as :rresultofwthegelimination of the oxygen iscondensed in' the condenser Qgand passes into the-tank 32Vfron1 whit-h itfmay he withdrawn;atsuitahle intervals While' the nitrogen-hydrogen mixtur freed from yoxygen and Waterl vapor passes to the gasometer34 and the storaget-ank 37 from which it may befd'rawn' from use as dereadily w-hn heated and :riso readily Y reduced,v by: therhydrog'enito foim water vapor land Areturn `the ymetal to its initial "condition, I may emplovinely divided iron or other'suitableinaterialfor this purpose. From-the above dcsc ipt-ion it will be understood!that: I*have devised :i novel method of forming nitrogen-hydrogen in ixtures by utilizing' atmospheric nitrogen, that by means .of my improved method any desiredproportons of'nitrogen and hydrogen may bo present `-in the ultimate mixture. and -with` suitable: Conservation `of the heat of combustionthe heatmay be utilized for facilitating' the combustion of' the gases as well as preheating the" excess hydrogen `ind eliminating lany traces of oxygen present in the gases 'and -heatingthe copper or equivalent metal contained in the receptacle v-`16- .to 'furnish I an additional` insurance -tity ot hydrogen by means of the heat generated by the combustion'of the` oxygen 'content of the,J air, with hydrogen, and adding a sufficient quantity of the pre' heated .hydrogen to the 'gasobtained from the burning out ofthe oxygen content ofthe air tc-removeany traces of oxygen remains air with hydrogen, adding a s'uicient quan-j tity of the 'preheated hydrogen to the gas ob- 4,tained from the burningoutof the oxygen.'- content of. the airto remove-any .traces of oxygen remaining 'in the `'gases and obtainr a mixture containing V'the :desired 4proper-'- -tions of nitrogen and hydrogen, and passing ing in the gases and form a mixture con-A taining the desired"proportions of nitrogen and hydrogen. L

2.' The process jot' producing;v a nitrogen-- hydrogen mixture c lnta'iniiig"the gases any desired'A proper ion-,.-which comprises, burningfthe oxygeny content 'from :atmos- 'pheric'air by meansof hydrogen'to form nitrogen` substantially 'free fronihydro en, preheatirlgan additional quantity' of hydrogen by meanso the. heat generated bythe combination' of the oxygencontent of'Y the` the mixture thus 'obtained into Acontactyvith hydrogen mixture containing the' gases in gen present in jthe mixture.

3. The process of' producing avlnitrogena heated metal to reinoveaiiy traces of oxyany 1 desired proportionl-yliich comprises,

burning the oxygen' content, rom atmospheric air with excess' hydrogentohform a nitrogen-hydrogen mixtureicontaining less -than the desired proportion offhydrogen,

preheating an additional quantity'v of hydro.-v gen by means of the heat generated by the combustion 1 of fthevoxygen cont-cnt ,of the air with hydrogen, and adding a-,Lsuiicient' `quantity-of the preheated hydrogen to` .the

gas obtained from the bu'rning`hut off-the' oxygen content-of the air to forni a mixture containing the desired 'proportions of iiitro-v gen and hydrogen.

4. The process zii-producing' anitrogeiihydrogenl mixture containing the gass-iir any desired 'proportion-which comprises, burning the oxygen content from atl. inosphericair with excess hydrogen to form' a nitrogeiifjhydrogen mixture containing less than the desired proportion of hydrogen,

prohosting an additional quantity' o hydrogen by means of the heat generated bythe combustion of the oxygen content of the air 'with hydrogen, adding a suiiicient quantity Aof the preheated hy regen to the gas .obtainedfrornithe burning out of the oxygen content ofthe air to forni a mixture conand hydrogen, and passing the mixture thus obtained-into contact With'a heated, metal to remove any traces of oxygen present in thet 'itv 5. The process of. treating gases, which comprises, burning 'the'.oxygen content from atmosp ric air in the'presence of an excess of hydr gen to forni a nitrogen-hydrogen mixture containing less than the desired. proportion of hydrogen,- and' pi-cheating an additional supply of hydrogen to remove any. traces of oxygen remaining in the gases bmeansof the heat generatedfby the ccmbination of the oxygen' content of the air with hydrogen.

6. The process of comprises, forming e g'sseous mixture coinposed 'principally of nitrogen and hydrogen by. causing the oxygen 'content of atmos /pheric air to unite with hydrogen, heating4 taining the desired proportions ofiiitrogen treating gases, which a-.quantityof metal' by incansof the heat generated by the combination'of the oxygen content. of theair with the hydrogen, and vpassing the said mixture. oyer the heated -`bepresent thereine 495 metalto remove traces of oxy'geiinhich may 1 -The process of forming'- a nitrogen-bye; i

drogen mixture, whichA -comprises,' bu'rning out. the oxygen content vfrom acontinuous supply-*of atmospheric air by means of hydrogen, transferrn a vportion ofthe' heat j generated by the4 coni ustion of the oxygen content vofthe` air to additional' hvdroge'n v,

`to raise the temperature thereof sufficiently to remcvetraces of oxygenV from the re-` sulting gases when mixed therewith, and' then-combining the gases obtained as the 'result' of the burningroutof the oxygen content of the air with-a suicient quantity of' thedieatedz hydrogen to secure a mixture 'containing the desired proportions of nitrogen and hydrogen.

hydrogen mixture, which comprises, burning 8. The process of forming e' nitrogen--- xthe'oxygen .content of atmospheric air with excess hydrogen to form a nitro en-hydrogen mixture, 'heating an additiona supply of hydrogen by InserisciE the heat generate by' thesbnrning of the' oxygen contenter the air,

and bringing the heated hydrogen into` said' nitrogen-hydrogeii-mxtureat :a point `in -proximity to that at which the combustion of the oxygen content ci the air is taking' place.

9. The ,process ot 'forming a nitrogenhydrogen mixture, which comprises, burning the 'oxygen content of atmospheric air with excess hydrogen' in' a relatively 'restricted space to form a nitrogen-hydrogen mixture proximity that at which the combustion and -at the same time conserve the heat 0f of. the oxygen content of the air is taking combustion, heating an' additional supp1 of place. l0 hydrogen by'means of the. heat generate by In testimony whereof I have affixed my the burning of theoxygen content of the air, signature.

and bringing' the heatedhydrogen into said nitrogen-hydrogen mixture at a point in 4 "JOHN COLLINS CLANCY. 

